| St. James History
| Clara Lillyblad History | Red
Wing History |
| Red Wing Shoe History
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St.
James Hotel History
The St. James
Hotel and the town of Red Wing owe their birth to the vast wheat
crop harvested in the area, and both continued to prosper because
of their location in Minnesota’s wheat belt. By the early
1870s with the addition of the Empire Builder railroad line from
Saint Paul to Chicago, the frontier town of Red Wing became a
thriving center of business bringing farmers and businessmen to
town to sell grain and buy goods. With its prime location in the
heartland of America and its natural port on the Mississippi River,
the city became the fifth largest in Minnesota and was the largest
wheat-trading center in the world, shipping more than 2.4 million
bushels of grain a year at its peak.
Although there
were a few modest hotels in town, a group of 11 civic-minded businessmen
observed all the hustle and bustle and sensed the need for a first
class lodging establishment. Many of the names of the original
investors are well known in Red Wing today. They were Joshua C.
Pierce, Charles Betcher, William P. Brown, Jesse McIntire, E.L.
Baker, T.K. Simmons, John Friedrich, John Hack, Loren C. Smith,
James Lawther and S.B. Foot. These men formed the original Red
Wing Hotel Corporation and managed to raise the $60,000 necessary
for the project. They purchased a plot of land in the heart of
the business district at the intersection of Main and Bush streets,
just a stone’s throw away from the Mississippi River and
the train depot.
The architectural
firm of E.P. Bassford of Minneapolis designed the four-story Italianate
structure, and work commenced in the spring of 1874. The hotel
was outfitted in grand style with handsome furnishings, Brussels
carpets in the lobby and English velvet carpet in the second floor
ladies’ parlor. In May of 1875, the hotel was christened
the St. James Hotel, most likely after the Court of St. James
of London, as residents felt it sounded regal and high class.
The original
11 investors hired two brothers from Wisconsin to manage the hotel.
E.J. and F.H. Blood were known as the Blood Brothers or more commonly
as “Fred and Ed”. In fact, the gala party planned
for a fall opening of the hotel was crudely referred to as the
“Blood’s Blow-Out” by the local papers.
The St. James
Hotel opened on Thanksgiving Day, 1875. Tickets were $5 per person.
The salutation of the invitations read “Yourself and a lady
are cordially invited to attend . . .” The 500 prominent
guests were treated to a lavish banquet featuring over 60 items
ranging from raw oysters and roast venison to Boston cream puffs
and strawberry ice cream. Dancing followed until 4:00 a.m.
Guests marveled
at the hotel’s modern features including steam heat, hot
and cold running water, gas throughout and a state of the art
kitchen. The first floor included three dining rooms, the kitchen,
office and baggage storage and the lower level featured a parlor,
billiard hall, barbershop, public baths and four water closets.
The second floor included a ladies’ parlor, bridal suite
and two ladies’ water closets, while the fourth floor housed
the ballroom.
St. James Hotel in 1938
The original
main entrance was located on Bush Street, instead of Main Street,
as that was most convenient for the guests walking up from the
riverboats and train depot. Also, the livery stables were located
across Bush Street from the hotel, so guests could be dropped
at the entrance and horses could turn immediately into the stables.
Front Desk in 1945
Main Street
was the town’s major shopping area, and the St. James’s
street level housed local businesses that had Main Street storefronts.
These included a newsstand, a clothing store, dry goods store
and a bank, which survived until 1967 under various names.
The St. James
was an immediate success, her rooms full every night with travelers
and boarders. The cooks gained a first rate reputation and shortly
after the hotel opened, the railroad adjusted its timetable to
allow passengers to disembark for a dinner break at the St. James.
One famous traveler who sampled the fare was President Rutherford
B. Hayes.
After the
Blood Brothers left the St. James, the hotel was managed by various
proprietors. In 1905, two of the original owners, J.C. Pierce
and T.K. Simmons bought out the other 9 and became partners.
1937
St. James crew poses for the opening of the new Bar and Coffee Shop
In 1906, Charles
Lillyblad became the manager, taking over Pierce’s share
of the ownership and later buying out Simmons as well, becoming
sole proprietor. Thus the Lillyblad era was born, as the family
ran the hotel until 1977.
Charles Lillyblad at his desk in 1912
Charles married
Clara Nelson, a young lady from Fergus Falls, who had started
waiting tables at the St. James in 1914. Clara was a marvelous
cook and quickly gained a reputation for outstanding food and
hostess etiquette. She had two children, Art, born in 1916 and
Frances, born in 1917. Art was actually born in the hotel in what
is now room 208. He began helping out as a bellhop at age 7 and
took on greater responsibility upon the death of his father in
1932.
The Veranda in 1915
Left to right: Ed DeWitt, William M. Ericson, Clara Lillyblad,
J.S. VanGuilder, Charles Lillyblad, Bill Ashton
But it was
Clara who ran the hotel with an iron fist, and a heart of gold.
She demanded meticulous attention to detail from both the kitchen
and housekeeping staff. Guestrooms sparkled, silverware glistened,
and she insisted on the highest quality ingredients for her homemade
recipes, buying much produce from local farmers and meats and
roasts from local butchers. Clara was extremely industrious and
did whatever was needed to keep the hotel running smoothly, whether
that meant baking pies, scrubbing pots and pans or supervising
carpenters on a necessary repair project.
Staff Christmas Party in 1955
As strict
as her standards were, Clara’s heart was equally generous,
and she never hesitated to help those in need. There is a story
of a couple that came to the St. James for their honeymoon, as
many rural couples did. They reserved a room and went into the
dining room for dinner, but only ordered the least expensive item
on the menu – two plates of hash. When the server mentioned
this odd order in the kitchen, Clara insisted that she bring the
newlyweds the finest dinner available that evening, but only charge
them for hash.
She especially
seemed to take care of folks around holiday times. If a friend
became widowed, she might send over a complete turkey dinner with
all the trimmings for Christmas. She also instructed cooks working
holidays, when most restaurants were closed, to serve a complimentary
meal to any passer by who asked if food was available. Clara always
took care of her staff and threw extravagant Christmas parties
every year, using the finest décor and cooking up a meal
fit for royalty. Employees at the St. James were extremely loyal
and turnover was very light for many years during the Lillyblad
tenure.
Art Lillyblad
had returned to the hotel following his education at the University
of Minnesota, and when Clara died in 1972, he took over the operations.
But times were changing. The traveling salesmen who were once
the mainstay of the hotel’s clientele, booking 40-50 rooms
each night, were replaced by wholesale operators, and many visitors
sought the modern conveniences lacking at the St. James.
Outside St. James Hotel in 1974
By the mid
1970s, the St. James was in need of a major renovation to keep
up with modern codes and the lure of the newer hotels in the area.
It was purchased in 1977 by the Red Wing Shoe Company and closed
for two years for a major multi-million dollar renovation.
The historic
portion was modified as private baths and sprinkler systems were
added to each room. A new addition made room for 19 additional
guestrooms, many with outstanding river views. Office space, banquet
rooms, a shopping court and new restaurants were also added. The
elegant Port Restaurant opened on the lower level, the Veranda
Café, overlooking the Mississippi River, opened on the
lobby level and the Summit banquet rooms and Jimmy’s Pub
were located on the fifth level.
The area on
the lower level, which is now occupied by the award-winning Port
Restaurant, was once a bank, and the designers made some creative
uses of the original layout. The bank vault is now aptly the location
of the wine cellar, which houses an outstanding collection of
180 different labels, which has helped the hotel earn the coveted
Wine Spectator Award each year since 2001. The two side rooms
across from the wine cellar, which are now used as linen closets,
were originally used to view the contents of one’s safe
deposit box. A beautiful sideboard and hutch in the private dining
room in the Port is thought to be original to the hotel.
The managers
retained designer Clara Bloomberg who scoured the country for
antiques and reproduction pieces. Bloomberg consulted history
books for appropriate décor of wall coverings and window
treatments of the late 19th century. Each guestroom was uniquely
decorated in the Victorian mode and features a custom designed
quilt. The rooms were named for riverboats and a photo and description
of each vessel was placed in the corresponding guestroom. Today,
the St. James guestrooms invite respite and tranquility. Each
room is still decorated with period furnishings and adorned with
custom quilts. It is truly a hotel that pampers and relaxes its
guests.
Despite the
hotel’s high regard for history in each nook and cranny,
it is also a state-of-the-art meeting venue and is highly sought
after as a board meeting or retreat location by many corporations
in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota. With 14,000 square
feet of meeting space, cutting edge technology, comfortable chairs
and outstanding catering including Starbuck’s coffee, the
St. James Hotel is geared to handle the needs of today’s
meeting planners. The St. James Courtyard, which includes seven
shops and Clara’s Gifts and Coffee, offers wireless internet
access for leisure and business guests and comfortable seating
areas with tables large enough to accommodate up to four guests
for a quick break, snack or impromptu meeting.
Back
Clara
Lillyblad
The St. James
Hotel has been a prominent institution in Red Wing since the town
was the world’s largest wheat shipping port and Minnesota’s
most important site for commerce and travel. The St. James opened
on Thanksgiving Day in 1875 with one of the most elegant parties
the region had ever seen. The hotel was run for 70 years by the
Lillyblad family, the majority of that time by Clara Lillyblad,
a legendary figure in the history of the St. James.
Charles Lillyblad
became the manager of the St. James in 1906 and purchased the
hotel three years later. By 1914, he was still running the operation
as a single man, when a young woman named Clara Nelson arrived
in Red Wing by buggy from Fergus Falls, and inquired about employment
as a waitress at the St. James. She landed the job and soon after,
landed a husband in Charles Lillyblad. The couple ran the hotel
jointly, later helped by their children, Art born in 1916 and
Frances, born in 1917.
Upon Charles’
death in 1932, Clara became the sole proprietress of the hotel.
Every aspect of the hotel was touched by Clara’s high standards.
Her reputation for attention to detail, sumptuous food and service
perfection was legendary.
1968
Left to right: Maude Desso, Vera De Remee, Alma Grover, Clara Lillyblad,
Marlene Masapohl and Mary Thomas
She managed
the business extremely well, expecting her employees to work hard,
but not as hard as she herself toiled. She was intimately involved
in every role within the hotel, whether dressing in fancy clothes
as a dinner hostess, or up to her elbows in dishwater.
Her favorite
place to be, however, was the kitchen. Clara was an excellent
cook and very creative, using no cookbooks or recipes. Special
dishes would just pop right out of her head, according to her
staff. In fact, the home cooked meals were so popular that the
St. James became known as “Clara’s Place” and
travelers came from miles around just to sample the food. The
railroad even adjusted its schedules so that disembarking passengers
would arrive in time to take a meal at “Clara’s Place.”
Clara was
also very involved in the community and soon the St. James began
to play an active and important role in business by providing
a space for local companies, civic groups and organizations to
hold various meetings, banquets and professional gatherings.
Banquet Buffet in 1960
Left to right: Stan Ekstrom, Clara Lillyblad, Unknown, Jean LeClaire, L.A. Steffens
Clara ran
the hotel until her death in 1972, at which point, her son Art
took over. The St. James was sold to the Red Wing Shoe Company
in 1977. Following an extensive renovation, the hotel was restored
to its original grand state and was reopened in 1979.
Today the
St. James continues to bear the mark of Clara Lillyblad, offering
excellent personalized service, and serving as a pillar in the
Red Wing community, providing quality guest rooms and meeting
space to not only local business groups, but to regional corporations
and associations as well.
The home-style
cooking continues to be a draw and folks still come from miles
around to sample the cuisine. Spectacular holiday brunches are
served in the Summit Room, overlooking the Mississippi River Valley.
Guests can also enjoy great views of the river while eating breakfast
or lunch in the Veranda, or sample the exquisite cuisine of the
Port of Red Wing for dinner. In 2001, the Port of Red Wing carried
on Clara’s reputation for fine meal preparation by earning
the prestigious Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine
for outstanding menu development and wine selections.
Guests also
come to the St. James for the historic ambiance and fine attention
to detail. Each of the 61 guest rooms is individually and distinctively
decorated with antiques and antique reproductions, in a modified
Victorian style. Handmade quilts adorn each bed and turndown service,
complete with chocolates, is customary.
St. James
Hotel guests also enjoy the luxurious historic lobby, graced with
a spiral staircase and ceiling-high pipe organ. Complimentary
coffee, tea or hot chocolate is served in the lobby daily, and
the morning paper is delivered free to each guest room on weekdays.
The St. James
Hotel has provided thousands of special memories for Minnesota
residents over the years, whether they were married in the historic
lobby, spent a romantic honeymoon in a double whirlpool suite,
celebrated special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries
in the Port of Red Wing, or shared the beautiful view in the Summit
Room with family members during a Holiday Brunch.
But the memories
of “Clara’s Place” continue to live on in the
hearts of those that knew her personally as well as in the walls.
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Red
Wing History
Red Wing,
Minnesota has a population of 15,561 and is the county seat of
Goodhue County. The earliest settlers of the Red Wing region were
members of the Mdewakanton Dakota tribe. The city's name was derived
from a succession of chief's whose name "Red Wing"
came from their use of a dyed swan's wing as their symbol.
Main Street - Downtown Red Wing in 1950
The advantageous
river location led to development of a port for shipping and the
city grew to be the largest primary wheat market in the world
by 1873. The scenic beauty of the area was an added attraction,
then as now. Henry David Thoreau himself hiked up Barn Bluff,
took in the vista and was favorably impressed. The wheat market
gradually diminished as railroads crossed the prairie. Industrial
development quickly took the place of wheat commerce in Red Wing
because of the favorable combination of natural resources and
river trade.
The beauty
of the bluffs and the river continue to draw people from across
the world to downtown Red Wing. The walls of limestone, which
once provided the foundations to homes and buildings, now provide
challenge to climbing enthusiasts and hikers. Our sharp bend on
the Mississippi River still supports industrial needs, however,
its role as a tourist attraction and home for seasonal boaters
continues to grow. Red Wing is ranked 34th on the list of America's
100 best small towns to live work and visit, by AAA's Home &
Away magazine. Red Wing is recognized internationally as the home
of Red Wing Shoes and Red Wing Pottery. It is also the location
of the nation's first municipally owned performing arts theatre
the T. B. Sheldon Auditorium.
Today Red
Wing Shoes are still manufactured in Red Wing and visitors can
tour the recently opened Red Wing Shoe Company Museum. Pottery
also has a unique connection with Red Wing. The first pottery
factory opened in 1878 and since then pottery production has taken
many different forms in Red Wing. Currently two types of pottery
are made in Red Wing, salt glazed and stoneware. Factory tours
and pottery demonstrations are available year-round. With 22 buildings
listed on the National Register of historic places, step into
the past with Red Wing's walking tour map.
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Red
Wing Shoe
| Established in 1905, Charles H. Beckman organizes the Red Wing
Shoe Company in the quiet river town of Red Wing, Minnesota. The
first boot sells for $1.75. |
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In 1918, J.R. Sweasy becomes the general manager and in 1921,
the president of Red Wing Shoes. For the next three decades, Sweasy
steers the company successfully through two world wars and the
Great Depression. |
| With the oil industry booming, the late 60's and 70's became a
time for global expansion. Red Wing Shoes enters Canada, Mexico,
South America, Europe and a number of oil producing countries
in the Middle East. |
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By 1985, production reaches two million pair. The factory expands
for the third time and adds a night shift at both plants. Red
Wing Shoes expands its products to over 150 styles, serving every
industry imaginable.
Please check out the World Record - Biggest Leather Boot.
The St. James Hotel is owned and operated by the Red Wing Shoe
Company |
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